The Whole Thing In Reverse
by Regency
Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. All About Evie. On Perm. Hiatus.
1. Julian Crane

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again.

Author's Notes: I've changed some history to write this story. The company Johnson & Johnson belongs to Eve's parents. Other than that, read and see.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_PassionsPassionsPassionsPassions_

Eve's heels clicked on the linoleum floor of Harmony Community College. She'd come to see a Professor Julian Crane. He was a professor of Art History and Pre-Law. A funny combination, she thought. She tried to remember why the name sounded so familiar, but she kept drawing a blank. She almost wasn't certain she wanted to remember.

Her son, RJ, had come to her to tell her that he was in danger of failing Professor Crane's class and that he wanted her to intervene. She didn't make a habit of meddling in her children's affairs. Hell, she didn't make a habit of speaking to her children if she could help it. She wouldn't be winning Mother of the Year any year. That wasn't exactly something she'd ever strived for.

Anyway, she was there to throw some of the Johnson money around this Julian Crane and maybe, just maybe her son would be Valedictorian. After all, Johnson's never failed at anything. Her mother wouldn't stand for it.

She finally came to the door marked Prof. Crane 203. Art history and Pre-Law. She turned the knob and stuck her head in. Years of the social life made her take note of the attire of lanky man with his back to her. Spotless and shined black dress shoes and what would've been an Armani suit were it intact. His jacket was slung across the back of his chair. His white silk dress shirt was tucked in with the sleeves rolled up just under the elbows, but he was still wearing his tie. Somehow, casually elegant. Maybe she wouldn't have to sling any money. She might've liked to spend a little time alone with him instead.

Some of his students' attention was left him and moved behind him. He looked over his shoulder and Eve's heart dropped in her chest. Those eyes. Yes, they were older and wiser, but those were the eyes of the man who's heart she'd taken with her twenty years ago.

It took her a moment to realize that she should probably have checked his class schedule, seeing as his class was so full. That probably meant that he only taught one or two classes. Tenure, she guessed. Which of course, would explain his wardrobe, the expense of it.

She couldn't think of the man staring back at her with a deep soulful stare. She knew immediately that he recognized her, too. She slammed the door shut behind her and pressed her back to the wall. She couldn't face him, again. Never again.

If only her heart would let her go. If only she could stop remembering…


	2. Back In The Day

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. When Eve falls in love with Julian again, how far will she go to have him back?

Author's Notes: I've changed some history to write this story. The company Johnson & Johnson belongs to Eve's parents. Other than that, read and see. Oh, and please don't take offense at the somewhat racist remarks made by the people in this story. It's kind of the tone of the thing.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_PassionsPassionsPassionsPassions_

It was the seventies, she was young, spoiled, and rebelling. Her parents wanted her to finish college, meet and marry a nice young, black, prospective businessman. She wanted to do neither. She just wanted to party and make boys beg. White boys, black boys, whatever boys. She didn't think of them that way. That was her parents, the racist billionaire black folks.

Sometimes, she just wanted to hang her head when she was with them. They got money and lost their minds. Yes, they were black and yes, they were proud. But did that mean that everyone else of any other color meant nothing? They thought so. Everyone was either white or black to the Johnson's. There was no Hispanic, Asian, or whatever. There was just white or black. Another thing that made Eve want rebel. She like having choices. So, she dabbled with all the crayons in the box.

And of course, when her eyes met those of a young Julian Crane across a smoky club in Boston, she knew that she'd found her latest conquest. It didn't occur to her that he'd be the one to change her life.

She'd ordered him a drink and sauntered over to him as he played the piano. He was still playing so he couldn't drink it, but he'd smiled at her and invited her to sing. That was the first time she sang for him. He loved her voice. That very night, she followed him up to his apartment on the Lower East Side and stayed for awhile.

For the first few weeks, she'd do that, stay, play, and slip quietly away out after he'd fallen asleep to return to her penthouse apartment with her bodyguards on the Upper East Side and her nice limousines with their drivers. She did have a reputation to uphold. She couldn't be seen on the Lower East Side. Still, she went out with him everywhere else. Her parents hated it. She treated him to nice things. She showed him how the rich people played. The drugs, the sex, the music. She took him to places that he never could've gone to on his own. It was all in fun in the beginning, until something happened. One night, they were rolling in the sheets after some party and he'd looked into her eyes and told her that he loved her.

She'd been so shocked that she'd just kissed him and distracted him with other things. It hadn't occurred to her that one day he might fall for her. He was just supposed to be an idle fling. Just something she did to piss her parents off. He wasn't supposed to love her and she wasn't supposed to love him back. But she did. She loved him back.

She stopped going back home after that night. She stayed the night and slept through. He wore her out and she loved how it felt to be worn. She knew that her parents would be furious, but the didn't care. Julian was who she wanted to be with. She wanted to marry him and be with him for the rest of her life. She told her parents that.

"You want to marry him?" her mother'd said.

"Yes. I want to spend the rest of my life with him." She'd been so certain of their love. Until her parents started in on her.

"How? He has nothing, Eve. This young, white boy has nothing and it doesn't look he's going to get anything any time soon. Are you prepared to lose everything? Because if you leave with this boy, you're leaving with nothing. I won't have any daughter of mine marrying a white boy and bringing half-white children home."

"Why are you so cold, momma? I love him and he loves me."

"Are you sure? Are you sure you're not just some toy for his amusement that he'll throw away when he gets around his white friends?" Eve had flinched at the thought. She'd thought about it. She'd never met any of his friends. He wasn't the most social one. He liked to spend time alone with her in his apartment, listening to her sing.

"You can't even be sure, can you, Evie?" That was her daddy. He was not as prejudiced as her mother, but he was so protective of her. He hated to see his baby girl hurt. He just wanted her to be happy.

"It doesn't matter now, daddy. I'm having his baby." She immediately wished she'd kept that to herself. Her mother was furious that she'd had the nerve to get pregnant.

"You're pregnant. Eve! You're having that lily-white, po-boy's baby?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes, momma."

"Not as long as I'm alive, Eve Denise Johnson. You will not have this baby, you will not keep this baby. No grandchild of mine will have an ounce of white blood."

"She does and she will." Her mother's reach was strong and there was nothing that she could've done whether or not she'd had the inclination to try. She was still a girl, without her parents she had nothing and Julian had even less than nothing. He couldn't possibly take care of her and a baby. She had that drilled into her head for months and months. Eventually, she'd believed it.

Her mother had told that if the baby was dark enough, she could keep it, but if it was too white, it would have to be put up for adoption. She'd believed her mother. She prayed and prayed that the baby would come out like her, but seven months later, her prayer went unanswered. When she was given a chance to hold her baby and the doctors had left the room, she snuck out and took a cab all the way down to the Lower East Side to Julian's building. She didn't look at the baby she'd fought so hard to have. She didn't know if it was a girl or boy or it if it had ten toes and ten fingers. She couldn't miss something she'd never known in the first place. That child had never belonged to her. She should've known that from the start.

She returned it to Julian, because she knew that he'd take of his child. He had that kind of heart. Her heart ached from the loss of that warm weight in her arms. She laid the swaddled babe down, still wrapped in the hospital blanket, down in front Julian's door. She knocked and then hid around the corner to see if he opened up. The door opened a few moments later and Julian stepped out. The baby started to cry and he picked it up with all of the care of a natural-born father.

"Well, who are you, little one? You look so familiar. You know, you look like someone I've loved before. Could you be my baby? Could you be? I bet you are." He looked both ways down the hall one more time before disappearing back inside the apartment with their child. Then, she took another cab back to the hospital and shut her mouth when her mother asked her what she did with the child. When her mother did find out where she took the child, she sent her minions there to find Julian and the baby already gone.

Eventually, her mother gave up her search and Eve tried forget about Julian, the child they made, and the love they'd shared for such a short time. She married a young, black prospective businessman and made three pretty black children. She'd done her part, but spent the next twenty years trying not think of the family she'd given away. She used boy-toys and money and over-extravagance to drown the pain. But it never left her.

And sometimes, when she was alone at night, she'd cry. Because she could've had so much. If only she'd been brave enough to risk it and strong enough to trust Julian to take care of them. No one ever knew about her secret life. She mourned it endlessly.

Until the day she saw Julian Crane again and it all came rushing back.


	3. Forever On My Mind

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. When Eve falls back in love with Julian, how far will she go to have him back?

Author's Notes: I've changed some history to write this story. The company Johnson & Johnson belongs to Eve's parents. Other than that, read and see. Oh, and please don't take offense at the somewhat racist remarks made by the people in this story. It's kind of the tone of the thing.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_EveandJulianEveandJulianEveandJulian_

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Eve staggered out of the building as quickly as her four-inch Manolo Blanik's would move her. She exhaled a breath of relief when her silver Mercedes came into view. She clicked off her car alarm system by remote and dashed across the parking lot to her car. The sooner she got out of there, the better.

She barely escaped an accident when she backed out of her spot without looking behind her. Only the other driver honking their horn stopped her from side-swiping them. They started to give her a piece of their mind until they realized who she was, then they went quickly on their way. Even when shaken, her reputation offered her quite a lot of protection.

She took the long way to give herself some extra time to think before she had to face home again. She couldn't imagine how he could simply be there, without any warning. She should've seen him or known or something. Someone should have kept her informed. But who could've known that she knew some Professor teaching at Harmony Community College? His wasn't exactly a class she made it a point to surround herself with. She was on the Board of Directors; she regulated their salaries. Other than that, she didn't know them well. She had no desire to know them well.

She was, after all, above them. Or so she thought.

Then, there was Julian. Sweet, kind, funny Julian. He was there, living side-by-side with her for so many years. She'd longed for him, dreamt of him, and cried for him. She'd cried for their child. She ached to know what fate they'd met. There was so much that she didn't know and was almost too afraid to find out.

Julian had had little to begin with and even less to raise a child with. She couldn't contemplate the life they'd led. Either way, she couldn't imagine him giving up their child to make his own life easier. He'd been willing to struggle even harder just so that they could have a life together. No matter what the hardships, he'd have kept their family together. If his status was any indication, eventually he'd overcome and finished college like he'd told her he'd always wanted to if the music business didn't work out. She assumed that it hadn't, but he didn't seem to be losing much sleep over it.

Eventually, reaching the iron gates of the Johnson Estate, Eve braked for a moment and thought about what she would say if her mother asked what had gone on at the College. She couldn't think of anything. Her mind was too scattered. She couldn't get over seeing Julian again. She couldn't help wondering about his life since her and asking herself whether or not he'd thought of her at all in the last twenty-five years.

These weren't things that she'd have normally considered given that at first she'd had no intention of seeing him or being near him ever again. But as the evening wore on and she thought about it more, she wasn't so certain that that was what she really wanted. He was back in her life. He was right there.

She had done all her parents had asked of her. She had produced several heirs to their company. She'd had the children and married the men, more than once, and had kept her many times moronic husbands from running said company into the ground. There was no reason that she couldn't be with Julian now. She felt as though her dreams had finally come true.

When she arrived at her study in the house, she called for her secretary to do some research on the life of Professor Julian Crane. Eve was more than displeased to receive a folder containing a wedding picture, as well as what appeared to be a family portrait. There was Julian, the woman she assumed was Dinah, his wife; and four other people that she guessed were his children. There were two boys and two girls. There was a younger boy and an older one, as well as an older and younger girl. Theirs could've been either of the older ones, if they were there at all.

It was impossible to really tell; she'd never seen her child. She put down the folder and took a deep breath. She'd waited for so long for the chance to see him and their child again. It was finally within her grasp and she could already feel it slipping away. She knew Julian. He would never betray someone that he had pledged himself to. If only she'd lived by that.

Suddenly, her phone rang and she jumped. Her voice mail engaged and his deep honey voice came out over the speaker. It wrapped around her like a cloak and took her back to those long, warm nights they'd spent together. She was jarred out of her memories by something Julian said.

"Mrs. Johnson, I'm sorry that when you arrived today, I was otherwise occupied, but I can arrange for us to meet tomorrow, if you'd like. Maybe 5:30 tomorrow evening? If that's all right, please try to have your secretary return my call to confirm our appointment. Good night, Mrs. Johnson." She swallowed the lump in her throat and rubbed her sweaty palms on her black Dolce & Gabana skirt. There was her chance. Tomorrow, she would see him and maybe begin the rest of her life.

She took Julian's wedding picture and slid it into the shredder, watching with pleasure as it disappeared into scraps of colors and disbelief. So what, if he was married? That hadn't bothered her before. Besides, she was the one that he truly wanted. Her heart told her so.

And tomorrow, she would remind Julian of that.


	4. Bound & Determined

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. When Eve falls back in love with Julian, how far will she go to have him back?

Author's Notes: I've changed some history to write this story. The company Johnson & Johnson belongs to Eve's parents. Other than that, read and see. Oh, and please don't take offense at the somewhat racist remarks made by the people in this story. It's kind of the tone of the thing.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_PassionsPassionsPassionsPassions_

Julian straightened up the papers on his desk for the third time and tightened his tie again. If he tightened it anymore, he'd probably strangle himself. Which, he supposed, would be a better fate than that which he was about to face.

He was about to have a face to face meeting with Eve Johnson (neé Yardley and Houston). He hadn't seen her in more than two decades, but suddenly there she was. She'd just showed up out of nowhere, outside of his classroom and totally screwed his lecture. After that, there was no controlling his students. They were too busy speculating as to why the ever-infamous Eve Johnson was outside of their very own room to concentrate on the facets of Pre-Law. It wasn't long before he dismissed them and returned to his office to consider that very same question.

He perused his mind for possible reasons why, but could think of none until he scrutinized his file on students that were in danger of failing one of his courses. Right beneath his latest addition was the key. Richard James Yardley, better known as RJ, because his grandmother refused to have a grandson named Rick James. This was something that he'd confided in Julian during one of their many post-class chats.

Julian had been a mentor of sorts to RJ since he was in high school. His parents had never been very attentive to him or his siblings and Julian had sensed that in him. As a child of a less than cohesive home, he knew what that was like and how much he could've benefited from having a mentor of his own.

RJ normally thrived under Julian's tutelage, but lately there seemed to be something bothering him. He was failing more than just Julian's courses, of which he took both; he was failing most of his schedule. He'd even stopped staying after class to discuss the day's lecture. This had puzzled and concerned Julian to the point that he had finally put a call into RJ's mother. He'd never made the connection between Yardley and Johnson, since Eve had always held onto her maiden name in the social setting. It hadn't come to him until he'd seen her standing in the doorway of his room, looking just as surprised to see him as he was to encounter her.

He had no idea how he was supposed to face her and tell her that there was something wrong with her son, all the while pretending not to despise her for their past and hate her for the part of her that beckoned to him still. He knew that he couldn't punish his surrogate son for what his mother had done. "The sins of the mother bloom in the children they bear." RJ was a good kid.

Julian was snapped out of his reverie by an insistent knock on his office door. He jumped up and straightened himself up.

"Mrs. Johnson.--"

"Ms. I'm divorced. I'm sure you've heard." He had. RJ had informed him a while back that his mother had separated from his stepfather. Even if he hadn't told him, it had been all over the news and had left Harmony's grapevine in tangles. His wife liked to tell him things. She was sweet, but she was a gossip. He had to remember that as Eve sauntered in and took a seat on his couch without invitation.

"Yes, I have." He cleared his throat uneasily and wallowed between retaking his place behind his desk or setting on the edge nearer to Eve for a more casual setting. He wisely chose to keep his place behind the desk and sat down after a moment of silence.

He wasn't sure how to begin or how to keep his eyes where they should be, for that matter. Try as he might have, he could make no secret of looking her over to see how the years had tarnished her. He was disquieted to find that they had not tarnished her nor had they touched her at all. She was still the eye-catching vixen she had been. That made him self-conscious and he wished that he had a fedora to cover his graying crown.

She liked the look on him though. As well as the gold-rimmed glasses that rested lightly on the bridge of his nose. The years had touched him, but they'd been ever so kind. There were lines, light ones, running about his face. They told of laughter and pain, she hoped more of the former than the latter. His hands were laced together on his desktop as he faced her. His fingers were still the long, graceful ones of a skilled piano player. They were so elegant; passion lined them. She wondered if he still played or had their experience together soured his desire for what was once his most cherished dream.

He felt her inspection and allowed it for a time. Finally, feeling that she'd had her fill of what of him she could see, she thought it prudent to indeed proceed to the matter at hand.

"So, my son RJ is failing your class?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's actually--"

"For how long?"

"Excuse me?"

"How long has he been failing? One doesn't just fail out of nowhere. It has to start at some point. When did his grades begin to decline?"

"Truth be told, Ms. Johnson, he began failing at the end of the last grading period, but he had, at that point, been doing so well that it didn't detrimentally affect his over all average. It's been this period that I've truly seen reason to be concerned."

"What reason?" Julian removed his classes and reclasped his hands.

"It's been more than just his classroom performance. His overall demeanor has been radically different than what I've known him for. He's distracted, seems worried and agitated. It's very noticeable." Eve shifted in her seat, trying to look unsettled.

"My son and I don't spend as much time together as we should."

"I see." This wasn't news to him. "I realize that you are…somewhat detached from your children, but I was hoping that you could give me some insight into what's happening with RJ. Is he having trouble at home…?" She shrugged helplessly. She had no idea. She straightened and tried to retake control of this encounter.

"You pay this much attention to all of your students?"

"I try, but some do fall through the cracks. However, I've known RJ for years. He's been like a son and I've taken it upon myself to keep an eye on him. I've never seen him so distressed. He won't talk to me about it and none of his friends seem to have any idea. I've tried to give him to benefit of the doubt, but he's only gotten worse as a result. I really need your help, Ms. Johnson."

"Eve."

"What?"

"Call me Eve." Julian hesitated before nodding. He wasn't comfortable allowing the meeting to get that casual. He wasn't certain if he'd be able to guard himself well if he broke this wall of professionalism.

"All right…Eve. I need your help. Please, help me help your son. I don't know what else to do or who else to ask. He's so close to graduating and I don't want him to jeopardize that. I would think you would feel the same?" She nodded, though she was mostly perusing him instead of thinking of her son.

"I do, but I'm sure that my mother, RJ's grandmother, will take care of this as soon as possible."

"Yes. About that, does she have to be involved with this? I'm willing to give RJ a chance to make his grades up. He just has to come to me, so that I can let him know. I can't go to him lest I'd probably be accused of favoritism. He needs to come to me so that I can tutor him. This doesn't have to go on his record." Eve met his eyes searchingly.

"You know what my mother's like, don't you?" He nodded.

"Through RJ."

"He tells you a lot about our family?"

"Enough, but he keeps most of it to himself. He isn't comfortable talking about his home life."

"I understand that." She peered at Julian weakly, a little bit of her shattered veneer shining through. "It's not as easy as a lot of people think it is, Julian. We pay a price for having what we have."

"I've seen…" He paused thoughtfully. "I know, Eve. Believe me, I know." She dropped her eyes to her lap and suddenly felt like a fool. Here she was with a son experiencing some kind of crisis, but all that she'd been concerned with was seducing his teacher. She was a monster.

She chuckled with a derisive edge. Her sudden dark humor concerned Julian. "Eve, darling, are you all right?" The endearment left his lips without a preceding or following thought. The kindness in his voice struck a cord deep within her and her face crumpled.

Julian rose from his seat and came around to sit beside her. He fingered a lock of her dark tresses, brushing his fingertips against her jaw. He caught a stray tear with his thumb.

"What is it, Eve? What's hurting you?" If he only knew what caused the sorrow that shined so brightly in her eyes.

"Oh, Julian…" It warmed her to know that he possessed the kindness to care for someone who'd hurt him so badly all those years ago. How could she share the torment that had dogged her through that time? How could she convey the sleeplessness, the blessed oblivion she'd so desperately sought and found in alcohol, and the numerous bedfellows who took the brunt of her distraction? She didn't dare confess to him who she had become, because she feared that any feelings that remained would dissolve in a rain of disgust and spite.

Of all the rejections that she could survive, one from him would surely end her. He was the only man she had truly loved and she loved him to this day. She couldn't live with the thought of him hating her. She exhaled sharply when he cupped her cheek so that he could look into her eyes.

It took her a moment to realize that their faces were little more than a hair's breath apart. Her eyelids fluttered as she looked from his eyes to his lips. She crossed the imperceptible distance between them and brushed her mouth against his like a feather. She felt lightheaded, but leaned deeper into the kiss with parted lips. Julian took her face into his hands and immersed himself in the kiss instinctively.

They separated abruptly, both of them breathing heavily. Eve licked her lips absently. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Johnson." She nodded, looking away.

"Ms."

"Right." He stood up off the couch and went back around his desk. Eve straightened her hair and checked her makeup in her compact. She added some rouge to her cheeks to cover her flush. Julian adjusted his tie and buttoned his jacket. "Well, okay. So, can I count on your continued cooperation with this…situation?"

"Of course, Professor." She closed her purse and stood up to leave. Julian kept his gaze to his desk so as not to show what was happening in his head. She already knew, because it was happening in hers too. She turned to leave when it seemed that Julian had nothing to say, but his voice stopped her.

"Eve." She looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm sorry about what happened. It was completely out of line and I hope you don't feel as though I've taken advantage of you. That was never my intent."

"I know, Julian. I'm not angry. If anything, that's what I came for." He narrowed his eyes.

"What exactly?"

"You know."

"I think I do." He guessed that she was exactly what he had hoped she hadn't become. "So the rumors are true?"

"What rumors?"

"You know what rumors. Don't play stupid, Eve."

"And don't play me, Julian. I am not someone you want to make an enemy out of." Julian scoffed and sprung from his chair.

"So this is what you do, isn't it, Eve?"

"What?"

"Turn into a cold and calculating bitch when you can't have your way."

"What way is that?"

"Me. You can't have me and that's driving you crazy." Eve chuckled and crossed her arms in front of her.

"That's an arrogant thing for you to say. Out of all the men in Harmony, what the hell makes you think that I want you?" Julian preserved his silence, his lenses glistening in the light of his office lamp. He knew exactly what made him think that.

"I'm the only one you'll ever let your guard down around. The only one you'll ever truly trust. I am the one that will never betray you to your mother. You know how she'd feel if she saw what just happened. I'm the one who brings you to life. But, I shouldn't have to repeat this, because you already know."

"You're taking this whole thing out of context. I had a moment while you were in the room. I don't need you, Julian. I've done fine without you for the last twenty-five years."

"Good, because you will never ever have me." Eve barely withheld a flinch at the exactness of his tone. Never.

"That's fine. I don't want you." Julian absently shuffled the papers on his desk and gathered up his belongings.

"I'm sure. Well, I have to go home now. My family's waiting for me." He breezed past her brashly. "Have a nice evening, Ms. Johnson."

"Eve." He twisted around to give her another more interested once over.

"Yes…Eve." He slipped out of the door and went back to his life of piano recitals, soccer practices, and warm, loving arms. That was more than she'd ever had.

But not more than she wanted. And she was determined to have that with Julian. She only felt for those who would be unlucky enough to stand between them.

Number one being Dinah Crane, his wife and her rival. She would have to be the first to go.

Definitely.


	5. Bad Plans In Motion

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. When Eve falls back in love with Julian, how far will she go to have him back?

Author's Notes: By the way, Dinah is played by Annette O'Toole and Gideon is played by Charles Divens. Evellyn is played by Mya or Rachel Bilson. Whichever fits her better.

--Oh, and you're really about to start hating Eve.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_PassionsPassionsPassions_

Eve waited a couple of weeks to put her plan into action. She made it a point to see Julian around town during that time. She also did a little digging on Dinah.

It was well known in Harmony that Dinah Crane had a little bit of a drinking problem which Julian denied vehemently. He protected her voraciously. However, it was even more well known that Dinah loved to teach.

Eve knew immediately that one of those things made the other quite unlikely. If anyone found out about her alcoholism, she wouldn't be able to teach anymore. At least, not in Harmony. That would destroy her life. Her life was here.

Eve decided to play the _Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc _game. (After it, therefore, because of it.) Instead of manipulating her alcoholism first, she'd do something much more cruel. She'd take her livelihood.

_PassionsPassionsPassions_

Dinah Crane shook off laughter as she headed to the Principal's office to see her boss. Her best friend Grace was terrible, but she always made her laugh. There was always something or someone to talk about in the first of Harmony's two only high schools. She'd been the subject of more than one slam session in these hallways herself.

She didn't have to wait long for the office assistant to wave her in. She had been friends with Camille Glenn for years and knew immediately that there was something wrong when she entered. Cami was sitting in her desk chair, staring out of the window with an unsettled expression on her face.

"You called, Principal Glenn?" Cami turned and nodded, gesturing for her to take a seat. She did.

"Dinah, I can't believe I'm doing this and please know that I wouldn't if I had a real choice, but…I have to let you go." Dinah blinked and leaned back in disbelief.

"I don't understand. Have I done something wrong?"

"No, but I've gotten some pressure from upstairs to get you out of here or our school could find itself very short on funds this year and for a while. Please, try to understand--"

"I'm trying, but it's not happening. You're firing me?"

"I don't want to, Dinah, but I have no choice. Can you try to see the predicament I'm in here?"

"You're in a predicament. I've been fired by my best friend." Camille held her hands up in surrender.

"I know, babe, I know. I never thought that this would happen. Please try to understand. Please. I would never do this to you myself. You know what you mean to me. We're family."

"Do you know who ordered this?"

"No idea. You want me to see if I can find out?" Camille would do anything for her pseudo-sister and knew that once upon a time, the feeling was returned.

"No, I'll find out. I don't have anything else to do now." Dinah grasped her purse with white knuckles.

"I really am sorry."

"I know. Look, when are my classes going to be taken over?"

"Starting tomorrow." Tears filled Dinah's eyes at the thought of being replaced so soon.

"Great. I can't believe this."

"I'm--"

"Don't. You're so sorry, but you do what you have to for the school. I know that." Dinah walked around and pulled Camille into a tight hug. "I don't blame you. I've got to go though. I need to see my kids." She squeezed Cami's hand. "Bye. I guess I'll see you later."

"Definitely." She backed away with a watery smile.

"Okay. Yeah." She pulled the door closed behind, trying not to let the tears fall.

She was already thinking about that bottle of '88 Merlot that Julian kept for their twentieth wedding anniversary that wouldn't be here for another seven years. Julian had always been the sentimental one in their marriage.

Alcohol was so much better to lament a loss than to celebrate a joy.

_PassionsPassionsPassions_

Two hours ago, Dinah arrived home to an empty house. Julian was teaching an extra class of Art History for his Dean's List students. He enjoyed his job. She had too. At the very least, she was happy that he was happy. The children would be arriving home soon.

Evellyn and Gideon would probably return from work before the bus dropped off Mea and Liam. Evie and Deon and chose to work, though there was no need for it. Their parents had paid their way all their lives. They wanted to do this themselves. Especially Evie. She felt that she owed her father.

To Dinah's surprise, there was a new bottle of wine waiting on the kitchen counter when she arrived. Attached to it by a ribbon was a note that read: "For someone special," in unfamiliar handwriting. She guessed that Julian had had it delivered.

She supposed that her husband had gotten over his preoccupation with her drinking. He always told her that she drank too much. She disagreed. He'd gone so far as to lock up all of the liquor in the house while she'd been pregnant with each other their children. Not to mention the things he'd told their friends to make sure that she couldn't get a drop of alcohol from them either.

But that was for another time and she popped the top of the bottle with grim merriment. It seemed that drinking would be the best part of her day for a while. She poured herself a mug of the stuff and threw back the first mouthful. She sat there and drank more than two-thirds of the bottle before the front door opened and a "Mommy!" drew her away from her distraction.

Her mind was sluggish, but she managed to rally a smile for her children who trooped in together. Mea and Liam jumped into her arms and she snuggled them dutifully. Her family was all she had now.

"Mommy, can you take me to my ballet class? I have to be ready for my recital."

"And mom, I have to go to my soccer practice." Dinah had to pause for a moment to clear her mind.

"Daddy can't take you?" Mea rubbed her head of curly blond hair and pouted.

"No, he's at work." She perked up again. "But he said he'd practice with me when he got home. I gots to go to class so I can learn stuff. Please, mommy. Please." Dinah nodded against the advice of her better angels and picked up her keys. She wasn't drunk. Not really.

"Evie, De, are you coming? Or are you going to wait for your father to get home." There was nothing for them to be doing at home and Julian would call if he needed them. They didn't see why not.

"We'll go."

"Leave a note for your father and we can go pick up something to eat after we drop off the runts." Both of the littler ones balked at being referred to as runts. "Oh, hush. When you grow, I'll quite calling you runts. Until then, live with it. Let's go."

Evie left a note for her father next to the wine bottle. It read: "We all left to drop off Mea and Liam. Then, to go eat. See you later. Love you, Evie and Co."

That was the note Julian found when he arrived home an hour and a half after they left. He was still reading it with a smile when his phone rang. It was Sam.

There'd been an accident.


	6. Trouble In Paradise

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. When Eve falls back in love with Julian, how far will she go to have him back?

Author's Notes: By the way, Dinah is played by Annette O'Toole and Gideon is played by Charles Divens. Evellyn is played by Mya or Rachel Bilson.--Oh, and you're really about to start hating Eve. But don't worry, she's about to have a change of heart and she'll need Julian's help to get through. Not this chapter though.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_PassionsPassionsPassionsPassions_

Julian was between fuming and fury as he paced around the waiting room of Harmony General Hospital's ICU. There was no doubt in his mind that Eve was the one behind this. There was no else nearly as strong or influential enough to do what Eve had so obviously done.

He'd called her home office and demanded that she meet him here immediately. He couldn't fathom the cruelty of someone to even plan something like this.

Dinah and the children had been involved in a head-on collision when they had swerved to miss a jaywalking teen and the car had slid into the lane of oncoming traffic, colliding instantly with a white convertible with a driver not much more sober than she. The crash caused a domino affect that ended in a three car pile up. Thank God, so far, there had been no fatalities, but he had yet to see his children. Dinah had been rushed to surgery more than an hour ago with God only knows what sorts of injuries.

He heard her signature Manolo Blahnik's before she came through the ER swinging doors. She was dressed chicly, as usual, in a black pin-striped Gucci pantsuit with a strapless cream bodice. The harsh ultraviolet lights only seemed to add to the devilish gleam of her eyes.

"You rang, professor?" He had to restrain himself at her cavalier tone. Julian looked around before pulling her into a private room nearby. She shook his grasp off and jumped onto one of the beds gleefully. "What's the problem, Julian? You look…concerned."

"I am little…concerned. Maybe you haven't heard, but my family was just in an accident." Eve tried not to look too enthused. She wasn't very convincing.

"I'm sorry. I hadn't heard."

"Like hell, you hadn't heard. I have every reason to believe that you had something to do with this."

"What could I possibly gain from your family being hurt?" Julian stepped closer to Eve, placing his hand on each side of her, effectively trapping her.

"What could you possibly gain?" She couldn't keep eye contact with him and looked off over his shoulder. He lifted her chin and turned her eyes back to him. "Nothing, because no matter what you do, I will never love you." Eve couldn't argue with the anger in his eyes. "How could I ever love someone who would destroy everything that I ever loved just to gain the upper-hand in my life."

"I'm not doing that, Julian. I haven't done anything. I certainly didn't caused this accident. I was nowhere near your family today. I don't even know their names."

"For someone who doesn't know their names, you had no problem firing their mother from a job she loved and sending her a very suspicious bottle of wine."

"I thought it would cheer her up."

"You know damn well that my wife…" Julian stopped himself short of making an admission he didn't trust her with. He back away from her and turned to leave. The distance between them made Eve bold.

"What, Julian? What about your wife? You mean that I know that your wife, the beloved geography teacher at Harmony High, has an affinity for the bottle?" She could see his back tense from across the room. "Yeah, that's right. I know. But I'm not the only one. It's probably Harmony's worst kept secret." He whirled to face her.

"No, Eve. Harmony's worst kept secret is the color of your bedroom ceiling. It's a terribly uninteresting shade of mauve."

"It's not. It's rose and gold. And don't think that that matters, Julian. Say about me what you will. That doesn't change what Dinah is. She's an alcoholic and the sooner you see that, the sooner you will realize that I am much better for you." She finished with a matter-of-fact nod.

"You know, to be with you I would have to give up everything. My home, my career, my family and my reputation. That night after you came to my office, I actually considered giving it all up for you. I asked myself it the feelings were still there and…" He sighed sadly and seemed to deflate before her very eyes. She dared to step closer to him.

"And what, Julian?" He twisted his wedding band on his finger.

"And they were. Still as strong as ever." Eve tried not to let hope show on her face, but a triumphant smile had already taken over. Her joy was cooled by his next words though. "Until I got a call from Sam. And then, Dinah's boss. And of course, the wine bottle with the note that I did _not_ send. It all fell into place when I got here and was told that she was in critical condition. You see, it's very clear to me now, Eve. Dinah was your rival and you wanted her out of the way."

"You think we're rivals? That's cute, Julian, but I'm not so sure that your wife will be amused."

"If she survives." Eve's humor faded at the very real implication that someone could die as a result of something she'd done.

"Is she really that badly hurt?"

"Yes, she is. She is that badly hurt. She's been in surgery for…" He paused to check his watch. "Nearly two hours now." Eve pressed her hand to her neck to try and push back to bile rising in her throat.

"This wasn't supposed to happen, Julian. I swear it wasn't. But this isn't my fault. I didn't force her to drink."

"No, but you gave her a reason, Eve. You knocked her off the wagon!" The force of his words pushed back a few steps.

"I did not make her get behind the wheel of a car, knowing that she was drunk. She chose to do that."

"My children were in that car, Eve. My children. That accident could have wiped out my entire family." She sat down in a visitor's chair heavily. She hadn't thought about that. She truly hadn't planned this.

"I didn't think that this would happen, okay?"

"Okay? No, it's not okay. What did you expect? You take the one thing she loves away from her and then, drop off a bottle of the good stuff right at her doorstep. Of course, she was going to drink it. I swear to you, Eve, if anyone in my family dies, it will be on your head."

"I know, Julian. I know. I just--I was desperate. Desperate and stupid. I wanted so badly for us to be a family again. I wanted to make up for all of the years we spent apart. I wanted to get to know our child. I wanted…things that I can never have."

"You're right, Eve," he began, not having the restraint to look at her. "You can never have those things, because, you see, I spent years raising our child and years mourning them. You will never know them." The chill in the room nearly stopped her heart cold.

"What are you saying, Julian? Are you saying that our child…is dead?" He closed his eyes and clenched his fists in pain.

"You will never know her. Ever. And I'm glad, because I did not raise her to know the woman you've become. I raised her to believe that you died long ago and I think I was right. The woman that gave birth to her is gone. Just like her." Eve covered her mouth with her fist and grasped her black clutch bag in her hand.

"Our daughter is dead? Oh, God, our baby." In all of the years that passed, Eve had never considered that their child could've died before she ever got to meet them. "I never thought--"

"No, Eve, you didn't. You never thought that your actions would affect anyone else and now they truly have. Welcome to reality, Mrs. Johnson."

"Ms."

"Yes, Ms." Julian shook himself from his daze to end this encounter. "Look, I'm going to be with my family now." He turned to look at her one final time. "I never want to see you again, Eve. I can tell already that loving you is poisonous, but being loved by you is deadly. I won't lose this life that I've worked for. Not because of you."

"You're right. You're right, I'm poison." She nodded to the floor to hide her grief. She'd had it all in her grasp and she'd proceeded to throw it all away. Just like that. She certainly was a Johnson.

She could feel Julian still watching her, waiting for some sign of anything. Of surrender.

"You should go be with them. I promise I won't interfere again. Never again. I'll leave you alone. You'll never see me again. Ever." She chewed her bottom lip until she could taste blood and hoped that he would leave soon, but he didn't. He just watched her because he couldn't believe that he'd just lied to her about the most important thing in their lives and she'd believed it. He wanted so badly to tell her the truth, but he couldn't risk her staying. To her, their daughter was dead. That was the way it had to be.

Finally, Julian gave her the mercy she hadn't shown his wife and left the room quietly, allowing her to grieve.

_PassionsPassionsPassionsPassions_

Outside the room, he ran into his family's attending physician, Dr. Harris. The doctor had that calm demeanor that doctors have that irritated the hell out of him.

"Dr. Harris, how is my family?"

"Your children are fine. Your two daughters and your youngest son were in the back and are for the most part unhurt. Your daughter, Mea, suffered the worst of them with an sprained wrist, but it's only a minor sprain and should heal in little time. Your wife and oldest son suffered the most serious injuries. Your son suffered a broken arm and clavicle. As well as a concussion and some more minor contusions." The doctor paused for a moment to further gather his thoughts.

"And my wife? Doctor?"

"She suffered internal bleeding, which we were able to repair in surgery. She has broken both legs and sprained her left wrist. She received some ugly head trauma from the head-on collision, but we've done some test to determine that it's more of an eyesore than actual damage. I do, however, think that you should be aware that your wife's blood alcohol level was well above the legal limit. I'm not saying anything, Mr. Crane, but the concentration of it in her blood hints at long term alcohol abuse. If she continues at this rate, she will be at serious risk for liver failure and other serious health problems."

"I know this, Doctor. Tell her that. She's the one who needs to hear it." As much as Julian loved his wife, he was sick of trying to convince her that her drinking was out of hand. She'd always managed to hide it from the children, but she could never hide it from him. This time was just too much.

Their children could have died and Eve would've been right. She couldn't be forced to drink and hadn't been. And if she was so determined to drink then, God knows that she shouldn't have dared to get behind the wheel of car. Especially a car with their children in it. Of all the irresponsible things for a mother to do, this took the cake, bought the bakery, and burned the bread.

He could barely decide who he was more angry at. Eve for starting this or Dinah for playing right into her hands. And yet, after thirteen years with the woman, he was less surprised than disappointed. She had promised that she'd stop.

But, all along he'd known that she wouldn't.

_PassionsPassionsPassionsPassions_

At last, Eve gathered herself and left the hospital building to her car. She sat there still for nearly a quarter of an hour before she came to her decision and pulled out of the parking lot towards home.

She was gonna be a better person starting now. She was going to be someone the Julian would be proud to love and she would be the mother that her daughter should have had.

She was going to be great this time around.

She promised.


	7. Good Stuff Comin', right?

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: What if 20 years ago, Eve was the spoiled rich kid and Julian was the struggling musician? And what if 20 years ago, they fell in love? Now, two decades later they meet again. When Eve falls back in love with Julian, how far will she go to have him back?

Author's Notes: By the way, Dinah is played by Annette O'Toole and Gideon is played by Charles Divens. Evellyn is played by Mya or Rachel Bilson.

-See, Eve can be lovable. Oh, but don't think that she won't ever revert back to her nasty ways. She'll just do it a little differently. Remember she still wants Julian. And good guys pretty much always finish last.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_PassionsPassionsPassionsPassions_

Eve wasn't kidding when she promised to turn over a new leaf. From that day forth, she did good things for the sake of good things instead of publicity. She learned that anonymity was better than notoriety. She had done so many good things under the cover of the nameless good Samaritan.

She volunteered at the Harmony Community Center, reading books to children and chaperoning field trips. Her mother was suspicious of this new Eve and watched her closely. However, not as closely as Julian watched her. Though, they didn't speak anymore, he saw and felt a change in her. She spent more time with her children, according to RJ, who was seemingly back to his old self. She'd talked to him and shared with him. He finally felt like he knew her.

The same went for his brother, Andre and sister, Julia. She had united their family once again. They finally understood that their grandmother was indeed someone to be afraid of. She was a powerful woman with pull all over the world. Her power went as far as her bank account and her bank account could bankroll a moderate-sized country. She was the most powerful woman in Harmony and probably in a few other places too. Eve had learned early on not to play games with her mother.

She'd come to learn that once when she was small and had fallen then, had cried to her mother. Her mother had whipped her good for crying and sent her on her way. Her father had been the one to kiss it and make it better. He'd always been on Eve's side, but he could never stand up to his wife. She was the strong one. He was the people person and she was the businesswoman. She built the Johnson Johnson Company. It was through her savvy and slippery ways that they'd survived in a world where blacks had never had the upper hand.

That savvy had not transferred to motherhood, though. There, she'd failed for the first time in her life. Even when she was just an infant, Eve had stymied her mother. Karissa Johnson was not a natural-born mother and she punished Eve for it everyday of her life, because no matter how much she tried she couldn't make her into the kind of woman she'd been taught to be. When she was a girl, they didn't have sex outside of marriage. And if they did, they certainly didn't get pregnant. And they did not marry outside of their race. It was forbidden, even illegal at one point. Eve didn't seem to understand what a step back that was for them. Dating a white man. That made her sick.

She'd watched Eve pursue that same white man, older now, but still white. She'd seen how far she'd been willing to go to have him and was partly proud, partly ashamed. She had raised this girl. She'd made her everything she'd ever been. Just as vindictive, just as selfish as she.

But Julian had come back and changed Eve into someone that Karissa didn't know and couldn't control. And with that hold on her, that made him very dangerous.

Eve stared intently at the pond behind the glass, trying in vain to find the snake that was supposed to be in it. She jumped at the voice from behind her. She turned, leaning on the bar in front of the display.

"He's not in there."

It was Julian behind her, but it was the little girl in his arms that had spoken. She was speechless for a moment before inquiring as to why.

"They moved him away, so he could make babies with the other snakey, right Daddy?"

"Right, pumpkin. It's mating season." Eve tried not to appear so stricken at his appearance. She was there at the Boston Zoo, chaperoning a field trip for the high school. This was the last place she had expected to see him.

"Oh, I didn't know."

"That's all right. We saw it on the Discovery Channel, didn't we, love?" She nodded smilingly. "Yes, we did." Seeing Julian with his daughter brought her grief back anew. That had been their daughter. She shook off that morose line of thinking and returned to the present.

"What brings you to the zoo?"

"Oh, my little one here heard about the field trip from her mother a while back and just had to come."

"Ah, I bet." Eve smiled at the pixie in Julian's arms. "You've got your Daddy wrapped around your little finger don't you, honey?" She grinned, showing off her two missing bottom teeth.

"Yep." Julian rolled her eyes.

"And she admits it. You go, girl."

"Thank you."

"She's beautiful, Julian."

"Yes, she is. My little girl." Eve winced and looked away for a moment. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. Julian immediately realized his faux pas. "I…What are you doing here?" Eve was thankful for the subject change.

"Oh, I'm chaperoning the field trip for the High School."

"Well, that was nice of you." Eve reddened and bit her lip at his praise.

"I had some extra time, so…" She shrugged.

"Yes, but it was still nice of you. You've done a lot of nice things lately. It's good to see the good in you come out. I knew it was there."

"Did you? I mean, really." He seemed to look right through her.

"Oh, yes. I can see it now. It's right…" He ran his knuckles over her cheek. "Here. Yes, here."

"Thank you."

"There's no need. I just pointed out something you could already feel inside you. You've changed, Eve. I hope to get to know who you've become." He put his hand out to her and waited. "Friends?" She stared at his hand before taking it and shaking it firmly.

"I'd like that." Mea was sick of staring at the empty pond.

"Daddy, let's go see the fishies. And then, we can see the frogs." Julian did not break his stare, but nodded to his daughter. "Now, Daddy, now."

Julian leaned near to Eve's ear and whispered, "Call me, soon. I'd like to talk to you. Please."

"Yes, soon. I will." He brushed his cheek against hers as he pulled away. She basked for a moment in that feeling.

"Daddy, now!" They were both jarred from their daze and looked away from one another.

"All right, sweetheart. We're going. Say goodbye to Ms. Johnson."

"Bye-bye, Ms. Johnson."

"Goodbye, sweetheart." Julian and his daughter disappeared around the bend to the aquarium. It seemed that she had finally gotten back into Julian's good books. Somehow, that only added to the feeling of redemption that overcame her.

Though this wasn't her reason for doing things now, she realized that she just might have her future with Julian after all. That excited her and she cranked her arm in victory.

"Yes!" She turned back to the glass when others turned to look at her. She jumped when she realized that the snake was back and that he was looking right at her. She shivered and moved on down the hall. His black-eyed gaze reminded her of her mother. Unblinking and cold.

And just like the snake, her mother was watching and she didn't like what she saw.

She'd apparently have to work harder to keep Julian and Eve apart. But not much harder, because she already had a plan.

Eve should watch her back.


	8. Into the Fire

Author: Regency

Title: The Whole Thing In Reverse

Summary: Julian almost confesses the truth about their daughter to Eve, but is interrupted. Later that night, all hell breaks loose at Harmony Elementary. How will Julian react when his children are involved?

Author's Notes: By the way, Dinah is played by Annette O'Toole and Gideon is played by Charles Divens. Evellyn is played by Mya.

Oh, but don't think that she won't ever revert back to her nasty ways. She'll just do it a little differently. Remember she still wants Julian. And good guys pretty much always finish last.

Disclaimer: The show "Passions" belongs to JER, but the idea is mine.

_evianevianevian_

It was late afternoon when Eve slid into the booth across from Julian in a cozy corner of Marcus Café. They'd agreed to meet here a week ago. He had already ordered himself a cup of coffee, but had waited on getting one for her, unsure of whether her preferences had changed. He took a sip of his drink.

"Hello."

"Hello, Julian."

"You look chilled. Here, take a sip of this." He pushed his coffee towards her.

"You're actually sharing your drink with me?" He chuckled at her amazed expression.

"Yes…" He pulled it away suddenly. "Unless you have something contagious." She pursed her lips thoughtfully. She couldn't hold the expression and laughed as his face changed.

"No, nothing, contagious or otherwise." He rolled his eyes at her but handed her the mug nonetheless.

"You are a mess." Her eyes crinkled over the rim of the cup.

"I try." She took another sip and he tipped his head as he realized that she had effectively taken ownership of his coffee. She knew what was going through his mind. She played dumb with a cunning smile. "You didn't want this back, did you?" She took another drink. "This is good. You should get a cup." He leaned across the table to her.

"Well, I had one, but I lent it to someone and I haven't gotten it back yet."

"Ahh. All the wonderful things you do that come back to bite you in the ass." Before she could continue, he snatched the mug away only to find it empty.

"That's just cruel. You let me think that I was winning some sort of victory here." Her only response was to laugh. "You are so lucky we're in a public place." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why Julian, you're so bold." He shook his head in astonishment. She watched the way a smile lingered at the corner of his lips. Though he tried to be stern with her and her flirting, she could always read the shining in his eyes through his gold-rimmed glasses. She enjoyed looking into those eyes again.

Since that day at the zoo, they'd become so much closer. It had taken her nearly a week to gather the courage to call his cell phone. She didn't dare call him at work or at home. The phone had rung twice before he'd answered. The conversation had been a little tense, but they'd set up a time to meet and had spent an enjoyable evening at Le Bleu in nearby Boston. They'd gone Dutch.

That had been the end of each of their 'encounters' with them standing awkwardly outside one of their cars before departing company with little more than a touch of the hand.

This time was different though, because Julian had something to tell Eve. He finally felt like he could trust her with the truth of their daughter. He felt that she needed to know the truth now. He'd been trying to keep it to himself for so long, but he didn't want to any longer.

He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "Eve, I have to tell you something." She looked at him curiously.

"What is it, Julian?" He took a fortifying breath and brought her hands to his lips.

"Eve, there's something you must know about our daughter." Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, Julian, anything. I'm dying to know just anything about her." The anticipation in her eyes melted him. He could barely stand the thought of telling her the truth, but he owed her. She'd changed her whole life for him. It was the least he could do.

"Eve, our daughter, she isn't-" His cell phone rang as he was about to make his declaration. He swore and let go of Eve's hands regretfully. "Hello. What do you mean? Are they all right? Yes, I'll be there as soon as I can. Thank you. Goodbye." He sighed worriedly and reached for his wallet as Eve looked on.

"Is something wrong?" He nodded to himself as he counted out the full bill. "Well?"

"The children, it seems have been caught in a collapse at the school. I have to go and see to them. Dinah's frantic."

"Do you need me to do anything?" He looked around, at a loss.

"Could you be where I am at moment's notice? I may need you."

"Anything for you or the children, you know that."

"Of course." He rose and shrugged into his jacket. "Pray for my children, Eve. I can't lose them." She touched his sleeve as he passed her.

"I know, darling." He paused and turned to her.

"Thank you for understanding." He leaned over her shoulder and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek. "What I'd do without you now, I hope to never know." Her astonished gaze followed him from the café until he disappeared down the street in his car.

_evianevianevian_

The drive home for Eve was a pensive one. She kept checking her radio and her cell for news of the collapse at the school, but had come up with nothing. She was afraid that something truly terrible had happened to them. She knew that they were Julian's world. No amount of comfort would be able to assuage his grief.

She breezed through her house and past her housekeeper, Pilar, who seemed troubled. Though she was distracted, Eve immediately noted her demeanor and stopped.

"Is something wrong, Pilar?" She was dusting the mantle of the fireplace, but was mostly staring at the pictures her mother had forced them to take.

"Nothing, Ms. Johnson."

"Now, don't give me that. Something's wrong."

"It's just that…Ma'am, I've seen you watching Professor Crane and I'm asking you not to do what you usually do." Eve straightened up defensively.

"And what is that, Pilar?" She shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"You find a nice respectable man and you turn them into one of your dogs. They'd do anything for you. But you lose interest and they lose everything."

"Yes." Eve was no longer comfortable with the way this conversation was going.

"He can't lose everything. He's been too far and sacrificed too much already in this life. Please don't force him to lose all that he has left."

"What exactly do you know about Julian?"

"I know that he's an amazing father and a remarkable human being. You don't know his life, Ms. Johnson."

"And you do?"

"I was there during the worst of it, though he'd never call it that."

"What happened?" Pilar stopped her dusting to reminisce.

"He loved a woman and he thought she loved him.. She left him, with a child straight from the hospital. A beautiful little girl. She was the apple of his eye immediately. The things he gave up for that child would astound you- he was so dedicated. He sold his soul to make sure she had what she needed. She wasn't healthy as an infant. She always had medicine, always had clothes, and food. He would go hungry some nights so that she could eat. He compromised the rest of his life just so that she'd live to see another day. She always wanted things and he did his best to get them for her.

He didn't want her to think of them as poor. He wanted her to grow up as a normal little girl with beautiful dresses and shoes that shined. He wanted to give her the world. He gave her what little of it he had. When she went to school, he couldn't afford the uniforms, so I gave him dresses from my daughter's school days and he bought old shoes from the Salvation Army. I sewed up the holes and he shined the shoes until they looked brand new. She never knew the difference and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way." Pilar paused and looked down sadly.

"Something changed?" She nodded.

"One day, she wanted to go on a field trip to the skating rink in Boston. The trip was twenty dollars to go and extra for snacks. She was seven years old. Just seven. Though Julian tried and tried, he couldn't find the money. There just was no extra to go around. Every dollar was going to keeping a roof over their head and food on their table and to Julian's college tuition. When he told her that she couldn't go, naturally she threw a tantrum, but he sat her down and told her that there were times when she wouldn't be able to have what she wanted. He would do anything to make those times few, but sometimes there was nothing he could do. It broke his heart to tell her that. He'd never wanted her to know how hard he struggled, but she knew then - and it changed her.

She stopped asking for things after that. Even when Julian graduated at the top of his class and was immediately offered a wonderful job and there was money to be spent…she wouldn't accept it. She didn't want it. He had told her once that as long as they were together, they had all they needed. That's what she lived by. That's what she lives by to this day. Even with her father married with three new children, she still holds to him like nothing else. As long as they're together, nothing can stop them." Pilar snapped out her daze and flushed when she realized she held Eve's rapt attention.

"Did you say she was alive?" Pilar gave her a strange look, but nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"What's her name?"

"Evelyn Crane, ma'am. Why?" Eve fists clinched around her purse.

"Nothing, Pilar. Thank you for telling me about Julian. I didn't know those things. I will definitely be careful with him. It seems I already might be in over my head." She climbed the stairs to a ringing phone.

She settled behind her desk, knowing that it was Julian calling. She stared at the blinking phone for a moment and decided that Julian could wait. She called the line for the kitchen.

"Could you send me up a glass of red wine, please? Thank you very much. Oh, take your time." She crossed her arms in front of her sternly. After nearly a dozen rings, it stopped. A few moments later, her study door opened and Pilar entered with her glass on a tray.

"Thank you, Pilar."

"It's nothing, Ms. Johnson." She hesitated for a moment, but turned back. "Ma'am have you heard anything more about the collapse the elementary school?" Eve's eyes widened. "My grandson goes there and I haven't been able to get away to see about him."

"Oh, God." She reached for the phone and dialed Julian's cell number, which she knew by heart. It rang and rang. She prayed that he answered. It eventually went to voice mail. "Julian, it's Eve. Please call me back. I need to hear from you." She replaced the phone in its cradle and waited. For the next few moments, silence reigned.

Finally, to both of their relief, the phone range. She swiped it up. "Julian."

"Yes." His voice was too quiet, too somber.

"Julian, what's happened?"

"My son, Eve. Gideon's been hurt." She reached out and took Pilar's hand.

"Where are you?"

"I don't know. I just started walking from the school and I haven't stopped walking since then."

"Okay, keep your phone on. I'll get a GPS coordinate on you and I'll come and get you. Stay where you are. All right?"

"Okay."

"I'm coming."

"All right." He hung up first and Eve sat back in her seat wearily.

"Pilar, I'm going to give you the rest of tonight off. Go find out about your grandson. Give them my best."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Eve nodded and Pilar hurried out. Eve picked up the phone and dialed the control room of the Johnson & Johnson Company.

"Yes, this is Eve Johnson. I need the GPS location on cell phone number 832-999-098. Thank you. Yes, I'll wait." Eve tapped her nails on the desktop impatiently. She sat up when the operator returned to the line. "Yes, that's Julian Crane." Her mouth fell open in surprise. "He's where?"

Eve hung up the phone without saying goodbye before grabbing her coat and purse and jogging out the door.

_evianevianevian_

Eve searched the cemetery worriedly for an hour before she came upon Julian sitting motionless on a stone bench.

"Honey." She sat down beside him. "Are you all right?" He twisted around to look at her, but turned back to face nothing. "Julian, talk to me."

"My son, my boy went into the school. Mea was there. Liam was as well. We both went in against the firemen's orders. We went in separately, I found the children, but he searched franticly for them. He found others and hesitated, just for a moment before leaving. That moment was the difference between his escaping safely and being trapped."

"Oh, Julian." He didn't seem to hear her.

"He was trapped, Eve. He called for me and I couldn't reach him. There was so much fire." She reached out to him and wrapped her fingers around his. "I'm so afraid of fire." She could feel the fear narrow his long digits.

"I know, sweetheart. Remember, you told me. You don't have to explain."

"But you see, Eve. It didn't matter, because my son was trapped there."

"What are you saying?" He turned to her with astonishment written on his face. "Julian."

"I went into the fire for him. He was too heavy to carry, so I dragged him. He clung to me like he did as a child. My son. He's all right, because I went into the fire, Eve." She was confused and a little concerned.

"I don't understand." He turned fully to her and took her face into his hands.

"I'm saying that sometimes, going into the fire isn't all bad. If I go into the fire will you come out with me?" Her mouth fell open as his meaning dawned on her. He was willing to give them a chance.

"You want to be with me, Julian?"

"I do, so much. Come with me." She clung to his forearms as he began to lower his mouth over hers.

"Anywhere." And they kissed with the flame of a passion so long denied, but no longer. She had him with his fears and beautiful scars, and sensuous eyes. No one would keep them apart now. Not even her mother.

Eve didn't know that just by taking on this battle with her mother, she'd already lost the war for her freedom. She had gone willingly into the fire for the man she loved, but would have to go out of her mind to have her life with him.

Suddenly, Julian's lie was the least of her problems.


	9. All About Evie

Summary: Eve and Julian are on the road to renewing their relationship, but there's still so much standing in their way, including Julian's wife and Eve's mother.

* * *

Eve stretched languidly on the bed. She turned to her side, expecting to find Julian asleep there, only to encounter an empty space. To her relief, she could hear water running in the bathroom. After a few seconds, it stopped and out stepped the sexiest man Eve had ever come to know. 

Julian had wrapped the towel around his waist modestly, but halted as he saw her eyeing him lustfully. His hair was slicked back and his body glistened in the lamplight. Droplets of water trickled down from his broad shoulders and tapered lazily into his slim waist. Although he already held her firmly in his grasp this sudden sight of him provoked an even stronger possessiveness in her.

He belonged with her. Time had only proven that.

"Julian, what are you doing up already?" He sat down on the edge of the bed and eased back into his pants and boxers.

"I have to go to the hospital to see about Gideon. Also, Evellyn called. She's worried." She crawled up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing his neck lightly. "Oh, don't do that, darling, or I won't be able to leave."

"I don't want you to leave."

"I know, but I have to make sure that the children are all right. I shouldn't have just walked away like that. I'm their father; they needed me to help them feel secure, especially after that."

"Hey, hey, Julian. I'm sure they understand. If any of them, Evellyn should. She knows you best of all." She kissed his crown tenderly while waiting for him to acknowledge what she'd said.

"Yes, she does." He grasped her wrist and looked at her over his shoulder. "When did you find out?" She met his gaze head on.

"Today from my housekeeper, Pilar. I didn't know you two knew one another." He looked down thoughtfully.

"Pilar Lopez?"

"Yes."

"A small world."

"Apparently so."

"I'm sure you want to know why I lied."

"I do." He rubbed his eyes painfully and took a deep breath.

"Because, I was afraid of you, Eve." Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Afraid of me. Darling, why?"

"What you can do, Eve. All the things you can do. At first, I thought that maybe you had no idea how powerful you were, but then the accident happened…and I realized that you knew quite well. I didn't plan to lie. In fact, I almost took it back immediately, but when I saw how it struck you, I thought that it would put you out of my life for good."

"For good?"

"Yes." She dropped her arms from around him and backed away. "I thought that it was best for her."

"Why? You know I never would have hurt our daughter."

"I wasn't afraid of you hurting her, Eve. I was afraid of you taking her from me." Her face was incredulous.

"How could I possibly--I would never--How could you even conceive…"

"I know, I know, but I didn't know that then. I knew you were manipulative and dangerous. I also knew that I loved you and that she would too. I was selfish in keeping her from you, but I've had her all her life. I've raised her and loved her and earned her love, but you would have just swept in and owned her immediately. I couldn't stand the thought of her loving you or needing you more than me."

"I don't think she could, ever." Eve cleared her throat roughly. "Maybe it's for the best, Julian. Her believing that I'm dead. It's better than her thinking I abandoned her."

"No, you see that wasn't true either."

"What?"

"You have to understand, my daughter and I have no secrets from each other. I never told her you died. I couldn't look into the same eyes that I love in you and tell her a lie."

"She knows me, she knows who I am?"

"She knows you're alive and that you live here. I wanted to introduce you; I still want to introduce you now."

"Why didn't you? Why didn't you tell me the truth?" He chuckled dryly.

"Darling, I wanted to today and I was going to, but…"

"Your phone rang."

He nodded. "Yes."

"If that isn't fate speaking…"

"I don't know what is."

"I have no idea what fate has in mind, Julian, but I know that come hell or high water, I love you. I am not whole unless we are together. I am more complete today than I have been since I left you. I want a life with you. I want to know our daughter. I want to know what it feels like to be loved by you. I want more than just tonight." He turned around and kneeled on the bed in front of her.

"You already know. My love is spent, Eve, but I will give all I can to you. Only with the hell that we have each endured are we soul mates. Our hell connects us and our love unites us. You live in my heart." She lovingly kissed him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"And you in mine." She tried to silently instill in him all her love. She checked the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "Darling, you should go. They'll be expecting you." He pulled away regretfully.

"Yes, I should. I'll talk to Evie. I'll arrange a meeting for you. Maybe, tomorrow, if all goes well."

"I'd love that. Wow, a chance to meet our daughter face to face. That's a dream come true." He tipped her chin with his finger.

"No, my love, you are a dream come true." She smiled at him and they shared a last kiss.

* * *

Julian strode briskly down the brightly-lit halls of Harmony General with a purpose in mind. Well, two purposes. One, to see to his son. Two, to see that his daughter saw her mother. That was all very simple. Except not nearly. 

He peered into his son's room to see Mea curled up in Liam's lap and Liam lying against Evie in a dead sleep. To think how close he came to losing his two youngest and his oldest frightened him nearly to death. Evie awoke as he stepped fully into the room.

"Daddy." He smiled at his girl and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "We were worried about you."

"I'm sorry, darling."

"The way you just walked off. We thought you'd hit your head and that something was wrong."

"Oh, no, little one. I was just inside myself for a while. I couldn't believe how close I'd come to losing Gideon." They both looked to the young man in question hooked up minimally to a heart monitor and a minor breathing apparatus. Besides the bandage on his forehead and the cannulla in his nose, he appeared mostly unhurt. Though his coloring hid most of the bruising.

"How is he, really?" She squeezed his hand tightly.

"They had to put rods and pins into his leg. The beam shattered it, but other than that, Daddy, he's okay. You saved him." Julian looked away bashfully. "Don't be embarrassed. You saved my brother and I can't thank you enough for that."

"Oh, no, dear. Your every breath is thanks enough. I've been thanking you everyday since you've been born. You made me better."

"And you raised me up." He took her hand in his and squeezed. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, sweetheart." He pondered how he would tell her his news. As Gideon stirred, he realized that this wouldn't be that time. Thinking quickly, he leaned down near to her ear. "Darling, later on, I'm going to need to speak with you in private."

"Okay, Daddy."

They went to talk to their boy. Dinah showed herself later on, her casts now the only sign of the accident that had very nearly ended their lives. The conversation between Julian and Dinah was strained but civil. Her drinking hadn't ceased and that only managed to piss Julian off, and stave their reconciliation. It looked to be an unlikely reunion.

Some time later, visiting hours came to an end and Julian departed reluctantly with Evie to the parking lot. She felt the tension in the air and wrapped her arm around his to bring him out of his thoughts.

"Daddy, what's going on?"

Now was the moment of truth. He could put it off if he chose; it was ultimately in his hands. Yet the many promises he had made to his daughter and to Eve hung over him like disappointed threats.

"Do you remember my telling you that your mother lived in Harmony, close to us?"

Uneasy, Evie shifted on her feet as her mother tended to do. "I do."

"I've been speaking with her recently and, if it is your wont, she would like to meet you."

The young woman swallowed, her eyes welling up like her heart. She couldn't speak for a long moment. "My m--mom?"

He nodded. He didn't know where these emotions would lead. Evellyn was nothing if not unpredictable.

She started to become angry. "My mother, who dumped me on your doorstep in the worst part of Boston? Who didn't look for me for twenty-five years? Who let you struggle to raise me while she had everything?"

There was no way he could respond to those accusations, except to say, "Yes." It was her.

"Why does she want to know me now?"

"She's wanted to know you all along. Circumstances…did not make it possible."

Evie began to pace, muttering to herself and clinching her fists like Eve. "I don't understand. Why does she want me?" She stopped suddenly and turned to him. "Daddy, is she using me to get to you?"

"What? No, love, never. Give her a little credit. She's finally grown up."

"Just because she's decided that this is the time to play mommy that doesn't mean I have to go along with it. I have a life here, with you and Dinah. Why should I give that up?"

He approached her and laid his hands on her shoulders. "You don't have to, there's no reason for that. I'm not asking you to turn your back on the only family you know to be a part of her life. I'm simply communicating to you that your mother would be interested in getting to know you."

Evie was wary, and with good reason. She hadn't met this woman -- ever and now she was about to. Why shouldn't she be on the verge of a breakdown?

"Nonetheless, I see your concern and I see your fear." He lifted her chin with his fingers so that he might look into his daughter's eyes, Eve's eyes really. "I won't expose you to her if you aren't ready. Care for her though I do, I care for you infinitely more. You are _my_ daughter before you are ours."

Suddenly courageous, Evellyn shook her head resignedly. "That's why I have to do this. That's why I have to meet her. You made me strong; I wasn't making that up. I haven't got an excuse in the world for being too weak to face her. You did and you have more reason than I do to despise her." She sighed. "She _is_ my mother. I'll meet her."

Julian tenderly brushed back her hair. "You don't know how happy that makes me."

She peered up at him, thoughtfully perusing his expression. "I have an idea that it's only half as happy as she makes you."

Her father's brow furrowed in consternation. He attempted to divert her suspicion with his roguish smile and failed. "Darling, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."

She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms in front of her. Words weren't necessary where they were concerned. He interpreted her doubts accordingly.

"It's complicated, Evie. It isn't cut and dried or black and white. I know you won't understand it--"

She waved off his explanation. "I don't need to, but if she hurts you, Daddy, if she's using you to get to me, I make no promises about how far I will go to take her down."

Julian had the good grace to laugh as he unexpectedly pulled Evie into a hug. He knew she couldn't have any idea how much like Eve she sounded. She was becoming in every way her mother's daughter. He was both terrified that he was already losing his little girl and thrilled that he might be finally gaining the life he'd craved since he first discovered a precious delivery outside his door.


End file.
